Rules: ARSI  VHF Hill Top Contest 2016

FM only: February 6-7, 2016

Starts: 1200 IST (0630 UTC) Saturday       Ends: 1200 IST (0630 UTC) Sunday

1. Objective: To encourage VHF DXing through a contest for VU hams to setup and operate field stations while exploring new summits, experimenting with various kinds of antennas, and contacting various Grid locations.

2. Period of Operation: 24 hours.

3. Bands: 50-54 MHz (6m) and 144 – 146 MHz (2m) bands may be used. Observance of band plans is strongly encouraged. Hilltop stations will be allocated spot frequencies by the Contest Manager. Others may use frequencies assigned to FM operation and desist from using or causing QRM to Tx and Rx frequencies of existing repeaters.

4. Terms of Competition for All Categories:

(a) All entrants must operate within the limits of their chosen category when performing any activity that could affect their submitted score. Only the entrant’s call sign may be used to aid the entrant’s score.

(b) A contest Team may consist of one or more hams operating ONE contest station from that particular Hill top location.

(c) We shall restrict operations to only Two (2) teams per Hill Top with a minimum separation of 1 Km aerial distance between them to prevent QRM, de-sensing or damage to the other stations. However, it is the contest team’s sole responsibility to provide suitable protection and operate the equipment in a safe manner to prevent such damage.

(d) Each Hill Top station shall specify their exact Grid Location and will not be allowed to shift locations during the period of contest. If you have access to GPS it’s an advantage to pinpoint the location accurately. Or use accurate maps online that are available like:

http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html or http://www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com/

You can also download a simple free software WINGRID http://www.dd3dj.de/wingrid/ to calculate distances between two stations by inputting the correct grid co-ordinates.

(e) The leader of each contest team shall intimate in writing to ARSI at [email protected] by 20^th January 2016, complete details of their exact Hill top location, Grid Location, co-ordinates, Team call sign & member call signs along with a scanned copy of the signed undertaking for permission from WPC. Applications should be filed by email only to [email protected].

(f) The ARSI Contest Manager shall allocate fixed frequencies to the Hill Top stations after the final date of receipt of entries. These will be communicated 1 day before the contest individually to hill-top stations.

(g) Location allotment will be considered on a first come first serve basis and in the event of more than 2 applicants for the same location, the subsequent applicants for that location will be placed in a queue in case of cancellation by one of the allocated stations. Alternately these teams may file an entry for a separate location.

(h) In the event of any Hill top contest station withdrawing in advance, the slot will be filled in by the next station in the wait list who has applied in serial order.

(i) Each Hill top contest station may be operated by any of the team members but the logging shall be for that particular Hill Top contest team call sign as assigned.

(j) All entrants should strictly adhere to Amateur Rules, and must not exceed the maximum RF power limit specified by their license, or the power limit of their entry category, whichever is less, on any band. Power is measured at the final output connector of the transmitter. An operator of a Hill top station holding a grade of license lower than the Hill top station licensee shall only transmit at the power level allocated to their own license.

(k) Self-spotting or asking other stations to spot you on any DX Cluster is not allowed.

(l) Use of QSO alerting assistance is NOT permitted. QSO alerting assistance is the use of any technology or outside method that provides call sign and frequency information regarding any other station to the operator. This can include telephone calls, text messages, social media platforms, DX Clusters, Skimmers etc.

(m) All operation must take place from one operating site. Transmitters and receivers must be located within a 500-meter diameter circle or within the property limits of the station licensee, whichever is greater. All antennas must be physically connected by wires to the transmitters and receivers used by the entrant.

5. Entry Categories:

A. Hill Top station

i. Hill Top Station – Team

ii. Hill Top Station – Individual

Only one transmitted signal is permitted at any time

B. Fixed station

i.  Fixed Station – Team

ii. Fixed Station – Individual

Only one transmitted signal is permitted at any time.

C. SWL

An SWL log should have a minimum of 5 QSOs to be eligible for awards. SWLs must log both stations heard in a QSO and their exchanges correctly along with the frequency and time of the QSO.

6. Exchange: RS(T) report + 6 character Grid Location  e.g. 59 + MK82SX

7. Multiplier: A distance Multiplier of 1 for every 10 Kms distance between each station will be computed as the Distance Multiplier. The distance multiplier shall be computed from the Grid Location exchanged between stations.

8. Contact Points: A station may be worked once for QSO point credit.

(a) Hill-top to Hill-top: 10 Points to both stations

(b) Hill-top to Fixed Stations: 3 Points to both stations

(c) Fixed to Fixed Stations: 1 Point to both stations

Bonus: An extra 10 points will be awarded for each QSO made on 6m.

9. Final Scores:

Final score shall be based on Total of Each QSO Point x Distance Multiplier for that QSO

10. Results and Awards:

(a) Certificates will be awarded to the top two highest scoring stations in each category listed under Section 5 above.

(b) Final rankings and results shall be the sole discretion of the Contest Manager & ARSI. The results will be published within two months after the end of the contest. ARSI will endeavour to distribute winners’ certificates within two months after the declaration of the results.

(c) Logs could be disqualified due to excessive errors or any other aberration that may be seen to be against the rules of the contest.

(d) ARSI will have referees monitoring on different locations and frequencies to assist in final log checking. Kindly ensure you stick to the spirit of competition and operate appropriately.

11. Instructions for Submission of Logs: Only logs submitted in electronic format are eligible for awards. The logs need to be in Cabrillo format only No other format shall be accepted.

The Contest Manager shall publish a list of Logging Programs along with instructions that can be used in the contest.

(a) The log MUST show the following at minimum for each contact: correct time of QSO in UTC (not IST), frequency, callsign of the station worked, Grid Square received. Any log without the minimum required information will be reclassified to CHECKLOG and not be eligible for any awards.

(b) E-mail is the expected method of log submission. Please provide only the call sign of station that participated in the contest in the SUBJECT line of the email and attaching the log may be sent to [email protected]

12. Rule Violations: Violation of amateur radio regulations or the rules of the contest; unsportsmanlike conduct; taking credit for excessive unverifiable QSOs or multipliers; use of any non-amateur means of communication to SOLICIT, ARRANGE, or CONFIRM any contacts before, during or after the contest will be deemed sufficient cause for disqualification.

13. Declaration: By submitting an entry in the ARSI VHF HILLTOP CONTEST 2016 you agree that: 1) you have read and understood the rules of the contest and agree to be bound by them, 2) you have operated according to all rules and regulations that pertain to your amateur radio license, 3) your log entry may be made open to the public when notifying awards and scores, and 4) all actions and decisions of ARSI are official and final.

By submitting an entry you further declare that the ARSI and its officers are not liable towards any expenses incurred by the contesting teams. Contest teams are solely responsible for all arrangements at their respective locations and this is not the responsibility ARSI. Teams should equip themselves with Radios, Antennas, suitable protective gear like tents, rain coats, warm clothing, food, water, First Aid Kit, essential Medicines, transportation, etc. All acts of contesting teams will solely be their own responsibility and void of any encumbrances with ARSI.

14. Deadline: All logs must be emailed NO LATER than February 15^th, 2016. Logs emailed after the deadline may be ineligible for any awards. Any questions pertaining to the ARSI VHF HILL TOP CONTEST 2016 may be e-mailed to the ARSI Contests & Awards Manager at [email protected]